Cassie held out the latest issue of “Double V,” flipping the front half of the magazine under the back to make it easier to hold. She pointed to an article titled “Twelve Threats: New and Notable.”

Halfway down the list of new supervillains was a picture of a group of men and women with automatic rifles. Below the text it said:

Syndicate L: A growing criminal organization originating in the northeast but with connections throughout the country, it specializes in acquiring materials-both legal and illegal. Staffed primarily by normal, unmodified humans, it employs a few supers as hired muscle.

“We could take them,” she said. “Not the whole group, but definitely a local branch.”

I stood by my locker, flipping my eyes between the magazine and her face.